Invoking an External-Viewer Visualizer
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A debugger visualizer converts raw data into more a humanly readable format.
To invoke an external-viewer type visualizer:
External-viewer visualizers must be specifically invoked, whereas value-replacer visualizers automatically operate on a specific data type. After you invoke the visualizer, the data is displayed in a separate window.
- Run your application in debug mode (such as F7 or F8).
- Use one of the following window-specific methods, as follows:
- Watch List Window: If you set a watch on a data item for which there is an external-viewer visualizer, you can then click the icon or use the Visualizers context menu command to invoke the visualizer.
- Local Variables Window: If you select a variable for which there is an external-viewer, you can then click the icon or use the Visualizers context menu command to invoke the visualizer.
- Debug Inspector: If you inspect an item that has an external-viewer visualizer associated with that data type, you can then click the icon or use the Visualizers context menu command to invoke the visualizer.
- Evaluate/Modify dialog box: If you enter an expression that has an external-viewer visualizer associated with that data type, use the button to invoke the visualizer.
- Evaluator Tooltips: Visualized data is automatically displayed if visualizers are enabled and if one is available for the selected data type.